Featured image and photography: Beck McNally

Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield – a name that many Mancunian music-lovers will know well, died on 20 November this year. No official cause of death has been released to the public.

The renowned bassist of The Stone Roses, and later Primal Scream, was a hugely influential musician – particularly in a role so often over-shadowed by charismatic frontmen or a wizard lead-guitarist. Often bassists do not receive the recognition they deserve, whether it be due to the subtlety of low-frequency lines escaping an untrained ear or simply the nature of the role on stage. Mani did not go unnoticed, however, and made waves in the Manchester music scene and beyond.

Last year, he was featured in the Greater Mancunians exhibition at the Manchester Central Library, where he and others were recognised for having “shaped the city and its surrounding boroughs for the greater good.” There is no doubt he inspired a new generation of bass players across the UK – especially in Manchester. The photos used throughout this article are some of those that featured in the exhibition.

Mani joined The Stone Roses in 1987 and quickly became the beating heart of the band, playing an impossible to ignore role on their self-titled debut album released in 1989. The opening track, ‘I Wanna Be Adored’, sets the tone for the album perfectly. Mani’s iconic bassline doesn’t enter until 40 seconds in, but when it does, it becomes one of the most recognisable of Manchester’s musical catalogue. His synergy with drummer Alan ‘Reni’ Wren is flawless. 

The album’s funky, dance-driven songs give Mani the space to propel the tracks forward – his remarkable bass solo leading into the second half of ‘I Am the Resurrection’ is another prime example of how his musical prowess defined that era.

Mani and The Stone Roses performing ‘Fools Gold’ at Heaton Park, taken from the Made of Stone DVD (2013).

Their polarising second album, Second Coming, saw Mani adopt a more understated role as John Squire’s impressive lead guitar drove the much heavier rock album. However, Mani still manages to shine with tracks such as ‘Love Spreads’, ‘Good Times,’ and the stunning opener, ‘Breaking Into Heaven.’ The album marked a departure from what many loved about their debut – it has a much harder edge and becomes a more serious looking glass into the lives of the members during this time. The band split two years after its release, for the first time.

Mani’s tenure with Primal Scream was also nothing to scoff at. Joining the Glasgow-made group in late 1996, he played on five albums. Tracks such as ‘Stuka’ from the album Vanishing Point, showcase Mani’s ability to steal the show with a deep, dub-infused bassline. Primal Scream also gave Mani the space to get more experimental, as the band leaned into more electronic-dance driven sounds, heard in many tracks on their 2002 album ‘Evil Heat’, and the track ‘5 Years Ahead of My Time’, which draws inspiration from the late 90s/early 2000s breakbeat scene.

His final gig with Primal Scream took place on New Year’s Eve in 2011 in Edinburgh, ahead of his reunion with The Stone Roses.

During a panel discussion following the Roses’ 2011 reformation, when asked what led to the reformation, John Squire reflected: “It was the loss of Mani’s mum.”

Mani added: “It’s weird how it can be just one mad thing that can fix a lot of wrongs… good things can come out of fucking grey clouds.”